As some of you know, in 11 months I am intending to move to Australia to further pursue my education in a PhD by research program at RMIT in Melbourne. For the past year, I have been spending countless hours researching the application process, scholarships, housing options, visa processes, and pet migration, among many, many other details of this exciting journey. Some of these aspects seem easier than others, and as I gather more information about how it all truly works, I am finding that much of it is going to be far more difficult than I had anticipated. Whether I am able to commence the program and pay for my living expenses rests almost entirely upon being awarded several HIGHLY competitive scholarships- granted that I am accepted into the program in the first place. Right now I am in my last year at OCOM, fulfilling my internship requirements in the clinic as well as taking classes, studying for board exams for licensure, and working on several research projects. This is all very time consuming and stressful, but I can't

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imagine myself doing anything else. I am so passionate about what I am doing- I LOVE treating my patients in the clinic! I will be graduating this year, at the end of August, and I will be launching all of my applications at that time. From there, the plan is to move back to Salem for a few months where I will continue to prepare myself for my move to Australia- in other words, praying that I am accepted into the program and granted the scholarships! I will know the answers to both of these things by the end of December, while already holding my ticket with intentions to leave in mid-January. I MUST be crazy. I do have a few back-up plans if all else fails, but I am trying not to let myself get too focused on that sort of thinking. I just wanted to get everyone up-to-date with the goings on in my life, and I'd be happy to fill in the details if anyone has any questions about my current program, the program at RMIT, what sort of therapy I might need when this is all said and done (kidding...?) and any other ponderings that might arise. Please feel free to ask me privately or in the comments below!My other reason for writing this is to ask those of you that I am close to (or maybe not so close to), to please take into consideration the vortex of information and deadlines that I will be caught up in for the next year. I just ask for your support and understanding, and would like to thank everyone for the support they have already given me so far! Also if anyone has anything to contribute, I would really appreciate it- advice, contacts in AU, personal experiences, money..... *cough* or even some well-wishes and happy thoughts!Wish me luck everyone, and please check back here for updates on this completely, ridiculously, outright insane plan of mine!